Apparatus and Method for Reducing Viscosity
An apparatus for reducing viscosity of a hydrocarbon liquid containing paraffin molecules or asphaltene molecules in suspension. The apparatus includes a conduit having an inner cavity dimensioned to accommodate a flow of the hydrocarbon liquid along a flow direction, and a series of electrically charged plates housed within the inner cavity with a longitudinal axis of each plate extending along the flow direction. A method of reducing viscosity of a hydrocarbon liquid containing paraffin molecules or asphaltene molecules in suspension, the method including flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through the inner cavity of a conduit and applying an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the inner cavity such that a plurality of paraffin molecules or a plurality of asphaltene molecules undergo a conformational change in microstructure to form a cluster of paraffin molecules or a cluster of asphaltene molecules, thereby reducing the viscosity of the hydrocarbon liquid.
1 . A method of reducing the viscosity of a hydrocarbon liquid containing paraffin molecules in suspension, the method comprising:
a) providing a conduit having an inner cavity dimensioned to accommodate a flow of the hydrocarbon liquid;
b) flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through the inner cavity of the conduit;
c) applying an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the inner cavity such that a plurality of paraffin molecules undergo a conformational change in microstructure to form a cluster of paraffin molecules, thereby reducing the viscosity of the hydrocarbon liquid.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises varying a strength of the applied electric field to achieve a desired viscosity reduction of the hydrocarbon liquid.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises varying an exposure time period of the hydrocarbon liquid to the applied electric field to achieve a desired viscosity reduction of the hydrocarbon liquid.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises varying a strength of the applied electric field and varying an exposure time period of the hydrocarbon liquid to the applied electric field to achieve a desired viscosity reduction of the hydrocarbon liquid.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon liquid contains paraffin molecules and asphaltene molecules in suspension, and wherein step (c) comprises:
applying an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the inner cavity such that a plurality of paraffin molecules and a plurality of asphaltene molecules undergo a conformational change in microstructure to form a cluster of paraffin molecules and a cluster of asphaltene molecules, thereby reducing the viscosity of the hydrocarbon liquid.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises:
flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through a series of electrically charged plates housed in a parallel arrangement within the inner cavity of the conduit, and using the series of electrically charged plates to apply an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises:
flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through a series of electrically charged plates housed in a concentric arrangement within the inner cavity of the conduit, and using the series of electrically charged plates to apply an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electric field is at least:
E
c
=
k
E
T
n
ɛ
f
a
3
ɛ
p
+
2
ɛ
f
(
ɛ
p
-
ɛ
f
)
,
where a is the effective radius of the molecule/particulate, n is the number density of the molecule/particulate matter, and the permittivity is given ε P and ε f for the particle and fluid, respectively.
9 . A method of reducing the viscosity of a hydrocarbon liquid containing asphaltene molecules in suspension, the method comprising:
a) providing a conduit having an inner cavity dimensioned to accommodate a flow of the hydrocarbon liquid;
b) flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through the inner cavity of the conduit;
c) applying an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid flowing through the inner cavity such that a plurality of asphaltene molecules undergo a conformational change in microstructure to form a cluster of asphaltene molecules, thereby reducing the viscosity of the hydrocarbon liquid.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein step (c) comprises varying a strength of the applied electric field to achieve a desired viscosity reduction of the hydrocarbon liquid.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein step (c) comprises varying an exposure time period of the hydrocarbon liquid to the applied electric field to achieve a desired viscosity reduction of the hydrocarbon liquid.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein step (c) comprises varying a strength of the applied electric field and varying an exposure time period of the hydrocarbon liquid to the applied electric field to achieve a desired viscosity reduction of the hydrocarbon liquid.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein step (c) further comprises:
flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through a series of electrically charged plates housed in a parallel arrangement within the inner cavity of the conduit, and using the series of electrically charged plates to apply an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein step (c) further comprises:
flowing the hydrocarbon liquid through a series of electrically charged plates housed in a concentric arrangement within the inner cavity of the conduit, and using the series of electrically charged plates to apply an electric field to the hydrocarbon liquid.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the electric field is at least:
E
c
=
k
E
T
n
ɛ
f
a
3
ɛ
p
+
2
ɛ
f
(
ɛ
p
-
ɛ
f
)
,
where a is the effective radius of the molecule/particulate, n is the number density of the molecule/particulate matter, and the permittivity is given ε P and ε f for the particle and fluid, respectively.
16 . An apparatus for reducing the viscosity of a hydrocarbon liquid containing paraffin molecules or asphaltene molecules in suspension, comprising:
a conduit having an inner cavity dimensioned to accommodate a flow of the hydrocarbon liquid along a flow direction extending from an inlet end of the inner cavity to an outlet end of the inner cavity
a series of electrically charged plates housed within the inner cavity, wherein a longitudinal axis of each electrically charged plate extends along the flow direction.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the series of electrically charged plates are concentrically arranged.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the series of electrically charged plates are configured in a parallel arrangement.
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the series of electrically charged plates are alternately charged.
20 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the conduit comprises a polyurethane material.